Lothian Macmillan Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) Practitioners

- Are you a health and social care practitioner with proven experience of supporting vulnerable people to explore managing health, wellbeing and difficult life situations?

- Do you believe people are experts in their own lives and with the right support people can tap into their own strengths and resilience to improve their lives?

- Do you thrive working autonomously in the community setting with vulnerable people presenting with potentially high levels of distress?

Based within Thistle’s Wellbeing Team that serves people living in Midlothian, the Macmillan ICJ Practitioner will support people’s non-clinical needs following a cancer diagnosis, as part of a new Lothian-wide service called ‘Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ), funded by Macmillan Cancer Support. The Macmillan ICJ Practitioner will help to promote self-management and address people’s holistic needs during and after cancer treatment and work across organisational boundaries with partners to ensure the best possible outcomes for people affected by cancer.

These posts are for a 4 year fixed term period.

Work normally takes place on the premises of community-based partner organisations, but at the current time, is most likely to be required to work virtually , e.g. from home where the use of telephone and on-line remote platforms including NHS Near Me options may constitute a significant portion of the working day.

This post is transitional in its nature, in that following an initial phase where both ICJ and wellbeing work will co-exist in parallel within the service, it is anticipated that ICJ and wellbeing work will be shared across the practitioners within the whole service.

Phase 1

• The post holder will initially provide self-management support to people only affected by cancer, including family and carers.

• Support will be provided by carrying out an initial Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA). The HNA will help the post holder to negotiate and agree with the person their personal outcomes(PO) and a Care and Support plan (CSP)

• The CSP will include actions the person is confident to do themselves alongside additional supports such as ongoing referrals, signposting to information , advice and supports including Welfare

• Benefits, local physical activity programmes and access to Thistle’s 1-1 and group based self-management support

• The holistic needs assessment ( HNA) will be continually monitored and reviewed to ensure the best outcomes for each individual are achieved

Phase 2

• The post holder will support the integration of the service by sharing the delivery of HNA to people affected by cancer across the wider wellbeing team while imbedding the wellbeing team’s 1-1 and group based self-management support including supporting peer volunteers into their practice

• The post holder will develop their competence and practice to support people to achieve their personal outcomes using person centred, solution focused and collaborative strengths based approaches.

Health Opportunities Team are a charity working to improve the emotional and sexual health of young people in Edinburgh.

We are looking for a skilled Project Worker to deliver sexual and emotional health services for young people in Edinburgh.

• Do you have proven track record of providing high quality therapeutic 1-1 and group work with young people?
• Do you have a proven track record of delivering sexual health and emotional wellbeing programmes and drop-ins?
• Could you deliver a physical activity group?
• Are you passionate about working with young people?
• Do you have energy and commitment?
• Are you up for the challenge of working with vulnerable young people?
• Do you think you can gain the respect and co-operation of groups of teenagers in a variety of settings?
• Are you a dynamic and creative team player?

If you are, then we want to hear from you.

We have a vacancy for 2 Full Time Lead Practitioners.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives. You will:

• Lead a small number of teams delivering person centred support to a wide range of people living in their Work alongside people we support to plan and create great support plans focused on what really matters to them.
• Support teams to think creatively about all aspects of working with the people we work alongside so they have great lives.
• Be able to provide teams with strong leadership, which motivates and delivers your passion for really high standards of support. You will be able to provide effective coaching and to give strong direction when required.
• Set up new services and support the creative use of personal budgets to support people to have great lives.
• Provide individual supervision to your staff, facilitate regular Practice Development Group meetings, and set clear objectives for all your staff.
• Have 3 years’ experience in supporting people with disabilities, working in a person centred way, facilitating groups and ideally managing teams, together with excellent organisational and IT skills.

Please see the job description and person specification for more details.

If you would like more information about this vacancy please contact Lynn.Spence@thistle.org.uk or Andrew.Smith@thistle.org.uk